Success May Be Short Lived

Astra-Zeneca s omeprazole (Losec) (approximately 50 per 28 20-mg tablets down from over 100 in 2001 when its turnover was some 6 billions ll its esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium) ( 202 per 30 20-mg tablets) are having their market positions eroded by generic omeprazole ( 55 per 56 20-mg tablets) and OTC Prilosec (omeprazole) ( 20 per 28 20-mg tablets). 

of course, worse from a business point of view when the cessation of revenues is precipitous and unforeseen as happens when drugs are withdrawn, or licenses rescinded. Some drugs are withdrawn for idiosyncratic responses, which is the most intractable intellectual problem in risk assessment. The cash-flow reverses whenever litigation occurs, even when there is no fault of the drug company.  

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